Beyond Biglaw: Get Out More
Getting out there is the only way to stay relevant as a lawyer in this competitive environment, according to columnist Gaston Kroub.
As we approach the close of the year, there is a natural tendency to think back on the year that was, and start to plan for the year ahead. When I was in Biglaw, year-end had a special rhythm. As an associate, the last few weeks of December were among the quietest of the year, as partners disappeared on vacation or focused on administrative tasks. As a partner, there was always pressure to finalize collections, submit business plans for the year ahead, and try to catch up with clients for a holiday season lunch or dinner. The atmosphere around the office was different, with the staff spending downtime doing holiday shopping, and the usual hubbub a bit diminished.
At our boutique firm, and I imagine many other smaller firms, there is less of a noticeable difference at year-end. Yes, there is a focus on collections, and discussions to be had with the accountant as we head into a new tax year. But everyone keeps more or less the same schedule, and while clients may be harder to reach, the same impetus exists to make sure that our cases are on track, or that we are getting new matters off the ground. At the same time, we have been spending time meeting with key clients, and trying to plan for the upcoming year. Internally, we are also engaged in a strategic review of the prior year, and trying to identify areas of focus for 2016 — just like any other business.
This time of year also brings more social opportunities. While some of them may be a drag, there is value in making the effort to attend. Whether it is a client’s holiday party, or meeting with former colleagues for drinks, or even attending a neighborhood function, it is important for lawyers to break out of “office mode” and use the holiday season as an excuse to “get out more.” In fact, I submit that resolving to get out more may be the single best thing an attorney can do to advance their career and find more contentment in their work.
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I know that getting out there is a challenge. There is expense involved, and it is not like free time is something most lawyers have too much of. As anyone who has originated business knows, it is very difficult to bring on new clients, and there is a lot of frustration inherent in the process of trying to do so. Plus we get comfortable in our offices, and find it easy to cloister ourselves with our workload so that we can “produce.” Breaking out of the routine to chase new relationships can sometimes feel like a luxury we can’t afford to indulge in — especially when there is so much pressure to perform, no matter what size firm we practice at.
But in thinking about the last year, and really about my career as a whole, I struggle to think of any times that getting out of the office failed to pay off in some measure. In contrast, some of our best results from the prior year were generated on matters where we were able to secure the client precisely because we were willing to get out of our comfort zone and travel for an in-person meeting, for example.
While it may not make sense, or you may not have the wherewithal, to travel every time a potential client meeting pops up, there can also be a lot of value with what I call “add-on” meetings. Let’s say you are already out of the office for something. Add on another in-person meeting to that “trip” no matter how close to home you already are. Meeting a client for lunch downtown? Stop by a former colleague before or after for a cup of coffee. Taking a deposition in another city? Book a breakfast or dinner with a client prospect. It is much easier to absorb the “cost” of getting out there when you maximize your time, and it is easier to motivate yourself to take meetings when you are already “out.”
Ultimately, getting out there is the only way to stay relevant as a lawyer in this competitive environment. I have known many great “office” attorneys, who produced sterling work and were great colleagues. But that is not enough nowadays, and unfortunately, those lawyers tended to be the most vulnerable, and sometimes the most miserable. As my partners and I know, the only freedom in this profession is that granted by having client relationships of our own. It is a peculiar freedom, since serving those clients is our primary mission, but at least we have the autonomy to exercise our discretion in terms of how and when to provide that service. It is almost impossible to get new clients, or maintain strong ties to existing ones, while hibernating like a grizzly in your office.
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A final word. There is little use in getting out there if you are not willing to share. We all struggle with the human tendency to keep our “best ideas” to ourselves, and fuss over the decision of who to share those ideas with. But we should mindful that a big part of the challenge, and opportunity, in getting out there is the chance to make our interactions with others productive and thought-provoking — at least for them. Each of us has thoughts that are worth sharing, whether about the direction of the law in our specialty, or business issues of relevance to our colleagues and clients. So get out there, but make sure you don’t arrive empty-handed.
Gaston Kroub lives in Brooklyn and is a founding partner of Kroub, Silbersher & Kolmykov PLLC, an intellectual property litigation boutique. The firm’s practice focuses on intellectual property litigation and related counseling, with a strong focus on patent matters. You can reach him at gkroub@kskiplaw.com or follow him on Twitter: @gkroub.
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